Writing implement



March 24, 1964 N. A. ZEPELL WRITING IMPLEMENT Filed July 3, 1961INVENTOR.

NA THAN ALTER ZEPELL BY A TTORNEY United States Patent 3,125,993 WRITINGIMPLEMENT Nathan Alter Zepeli, Fort Madison, Iowa, assignor to W. A.Sheafier Pen Company, Fort Madison, Iowa, a corporation of DelawareFiled July 3, 1961, Ser. No. 121,711 1 Claim. (Ci. 120-42.03)

This invention relates to writing implements and has special referenceto a writing instrument having a writing unit which is movable between aconcealed position and an exposed writing position.

More particularly, this invention relates to a writing instrument havinga barrel with an open end, a unit axially displaceable within the barrelbetween a concealed position and an exposed position projecting throughthe open end, a resilient element urging the unit toward the consealedposition, and an arm disposed externally of the barrel and shiftablethereon between inward and outward positions, there being means disposedon the arm for movement through an aperture in the barrel, the meansengaging the unit and moving the unit to the exposed position inresponse to movement of the arm from the outward to the inward position.

The usual ball point pen includes a writing unit which is reciprocalwithin the barrel between a concealed position and an exposed writingposition. Such implements normally include a manually operable pushbutton type of mechanism for extending and locking the unit in a writingposition, and a resilient element, such as a coil spring, for returningthe unit to the concealed or retracted position. In such implements,there is an ever present danger that the user will forget to retract thewriting point after use and insert the implement into a pocket orhandbag with the point in the exposed position. And as will beunderstood readily, this is very likely to result in staining of a shirtor coat pocket or the interior of the handbag. Further, the point may bedamaged by contact with some other implement which might be carried inthe pocket or purse.

The usual pocket clip has only one function or purpose, that being, tohold the implement within a coat or shirt pocket. Thus, for thoseimplements having a retractable point, of the type described above,separate means must be provided in order to accomplish the desiredreciprocal movement of the unit. Such additional mechanismnot onlycomplicates the construction of the device but increases the cost ofmanufacture and the retail price to the ultimate user.

United States Patent No. 2,881,736, dated April 14, 1959, discloses awriting instrument having a clip assembly arranged to providesubstantially transverse movement of one end thereof to reciprocate awriting point assembly between exposed and concealed positions. Thepresent invention, discloses a mechanism in the same generic class asthat of United States Patent No. 2,881,- 736, but having'a reducednumber of parts which may be manufactured and assembled at minimum cost.

Accordingly, one object of the present invention is the provision of animproved mechanism for effecting the extension and retraction of awriting unit of a ball point pen or similar implement.

Another object of this invention is to provide an actuating mechanismwhich may be assembled and subsequently disassembled very readily.

, A further object of this invention is the provision of a clip having arelatively rigid arm and a resilient member which provides theflexibility necessary to permit movement of the clip upon insertion intoa coat or shirt pocket.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a clip arm whichis substantially transversely movable on 3,125,993 Patented Mar. 24,1964 a writing implement holder between an inward and an outwardposition during periods of use and non-use, respectively.

Further and additional objects of this invention will be apparent fromthe following description, when taken with the accompanying drawing, inwhich:

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a writing implementconstructed in accordance with a preferred embodiment of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the embodiment of FIG. 1,showing a change in position of the clip arm and writing unit; and

FIG. 3 is an exploded View of the cap and mechanism portions of theembodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2.

Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawing, there is disclosed awriting implement having a holder or barrel 10 consisting of a forwardportion 12 and a rearward portion 14. These portions may be made of anyone of a number of well known plastic or metal materials pro viding therigidity, strength and long wearing surface characteristics required inwriting instruments or similar articles.

The forward portion 12 includes a rearwardly extending internallythreaded section 16 which is engageable with a band portion 18frictionally mounted on a reduced section 2t of the rearward portion 14and provided with suitable threads in order to releasably secure thebarrel parts in axial alignment.

A Writing unit 22 is mounted for reciprocal movement within the barrel1%), the unit including a generally cylindrical reservoir section 24which is reduced in diameter adjacent its forward end to provide anintermediate shoulder 26. Mounted on the forward end of the reducedsection 28 of the unit 22 is a writing point 30 which is shown as beingof the ball point type, although it will be understood that other typesof points or marking tips can be utilized.

The forward barrel portion 12 is provided at its lower end with anopening 32 of smaller diameter than the interior of the barrel 10, thuscreating an interior tapered surface adapted to frictionally receive aresilient element or spring 34. The spring 34 is sized so as to abut theintermediate shoulder 26 thereby normally urging the writing unit 22 ina rearward direction. As is clearly shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, this springor resilient element 34 may comprise a coil spring formed of the usualmetallic spring wire.

Disposed externally of the barrel 10 is an arm 36 which may be used as apocket clip. While the arm may be of a type formed of plastic or aforged or die-cast metal,

' in the illustrated embodiment it is shown as being fabricated from asheet of flat metal such a brass, or the like, and plated or otherwisefinished so as to provide a pleasing and attractive appearance. Betweenthe upper barrel portion 14 and the arm 36 is a mounting section 38. Inthe illustrated embodiment, the mounting section is formed as anintegral part of the arm adjacent its rearward end. As best seen in FIG.3, the mounting portion 36 is formed in a box like shape to define sideedges 40 which are formed integrally with the flanges 42 of the arm 36.

As can best be determined from FIG. 3, the cap or upper barrel portion14 includes a slot 44 extending from the open end 46. The slot 44 is ofa Width adapted to receive the mounting section 38 which is maintainedin the slot by means of the depending tongue portion 48 of a button St).The button 50 includes an annular flange 52 which is frictionallymaintained in the open end 46 of the cap 14 thereby maintaining themounting section 38 and its asociated arm 36 in an assembledrelationship with the cap 14.

The mounting section 38 preferably is slightly smaller in width than theslot 44, with its height being somewhat less than the space definedbetween the lower end of the tongue portion 48 and the upper end of theslot 44. Thus, the mounting section 38 is not held rigidly relative tothe cap 14, but is free to move within certain limits to be described inmore detail herebelow.

Disposed adjacent the forward end of the arm 36 are means 54 movablethrough an aperture 56 axially aligned with the slot 44 in the cap 14.'In the disclosed embodiment, means 54 are formed as an integral part ofthe arm 36, and provided with an inclined surface 58 engageable with therearward end of the writing unit 22. The lower end of the inclinedsurface 58 terminates in a contiguous locking offset '60 which, as willbe described in more detail herebelow, is engageable also with therearward edge of the writing unit 22.

A stop member 62 is provided internally of the cap portion 14 for thepurpose of limiting rearward movement of the writing unit 22 under theinfluence of the coil spring 34. The stop member 62 preferably is formedof a resilient spring material and provided with a bight portion 64adapted to abut the interior of the cap portion '14 when the arm 36- isin the outward position illustrated in FIG. "1. The upper end of thestop member 62 is assembled with the mounting section 38 by means of aplurality of clamping ears 66 as will be readily understood by those inthe art.

The arm 36, mounting section 38, means 54 and stop member 62 form anactuating mechanism which is movable relative to the barrel 10 betweenthe positions illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2. In FIG. 1, the arm isdisposed in an outward position with a majority of the means 54 beingexposed. When in this position, the forward end of the arm 36 may bedisplaced transversely in a direction away from the barrel 10 by virtueof the resiliency of the stop member 62 so that the upper edge of a coator shirt pocket may be positioned between the arm and the barrel. Whenit is desired to condition the implement for writing, the forward end ofthe arm 36 is manually moved inwardly toward the axis of the pen barrel,which movement causes means 54 to move transversely through aperture 56.Such movement causes the inclined surface '8 and locking offset 60 toengage the rearward end of the unit I221 whereby the unit is movedforwardly and locked in the forward position by the abutting engagementbetween the locking offset 60 and the rearward edge of the unit. Whenthe arm is in the above described inward position, the writing point 30is exposed through an opening 32 in the forward end of the barrel forwriting purposes.

When the user wishes to return the unit to the retracted or concealedposition, it is merely necessary to press manually on the arm 36adjacent its rearward end in order to remove the forward end of the armoutwardly a distance sufficient to cause disengagement of the lockingoffset 60 from the rearward edge of the unit 22. The spring 34 will thencause the unit to retract to a concealed position within the barrel 10and the arm 36 to move transversely to the outward position due toengagement between the unit and the inclined surface 58.

It will be understood that the stop member 62 positions the rearwardedge of the unit 22 slightly forwardly of the upper terminal edge of theinclined surface 58.

Formed as a part of the mounting section 38 are offsets 68 whichmaintain the upper end of the clip arm 36 in a spaced relation with thecap 14 whereby the above described retraction of the unit 22 may beeffected by manual pressure on the upper end of the arm.

The writing unit 22 is illustrated in the above described embodiment asbeing of a disposable or replaceable type, and for the purpose ofreplacing a depleted unit, the

4 user may unscrew the cap 14 from the forward barrel portion 12. Thedepleted unit is then removed and a new unit inserted in its place in amanner well understood by those in the art.

As will be apparent from the foregoing description, the presentinvention provides a construction which may be manufactured readily andinexpensively, but which is quite rugged and dependable in operation.Further, it will be evident that the mechanism may be util zed withvarious types of implements such as the illustrated ball point assembly,a retractable fountain pen, a scribing tool or other types of markinginstruments in which it is desirable to reciprocate the point between awriting position and a concealed storage position. It will beunderstood, therefore, that the invention is not to be limited to theembodiment described above, and it is contemplated by the appended claimto cover any such modifications as fall within the true spirit and scopeof this invention.

I claim:

A writing instrument of the character described, including a generallycylindrical barrel having an aperture in a side wall thereof and an openforward end, a writing unit comprising a cylindrical reservoir sectionand a forwardly disposed point, said reservoir section being slightlysmaller in diameter than and slidingly engaging the interior wall ofsaid barrel, said reservoir section terminating on its rearward end in atransverse surface defining a circular contact edge, said unit beingaxially displaced within said barrel between a concealed position.

and an exposed writing position with said point projecting through saidopen forward end, a resilient spring element urging said unit towardsaid concealed position, a clip arm disposed externally of said barrelsubstantially longitudinally thereof, said clip arm having a forward endportion disposed in an overlying relationship with said aperture, amounting section formed integral with said clip arm adjacent itsrearward end, said mounting section being shiftably mounted on saidbarrel to permit movement of said forward end portion substantiallytransversely relative to said barrel between inward and outwardpositions, a resilient stop member within said barrel depending fromsaid mounting section, said stop member abutting the rearward end ofsaid reservoir section to limit the movement of said unit under theinfluence of said resilient spring element whereby said contact edge ispositioned in the region of said aperture, actuating means formedintegral with said clip arm adjacent said forward end portion, saidactuating means being movable with said forward end portion and throughsaid aperture from a position disposed externally of said barrel, and aninclined surface terminating in a forwardly facing locking offsetprovided on said actuating means, said inclined surface and said lockingoffset successively engaging said contact edge and moving said unit toand releasably locking said unit in said exposed position in response tomovement of said forward end portion from said outward to said inwardposition and conjoint movement of said actuating means through saidaperture transversely toward said reservoir section.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS249,230 Doyle Nov. 8, 1881 2,427,068 Randolph Sept. 9, 1947 2,881,736Zepelovitch Apr. 14, 1959 2,986,119 Roesler et al May 30, 1961 2,988,055Platt June 13, 1961 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,086,929 France Aug. 18, 19541,125,062 France July 9, 1956

